Beech 1900 CA
09-02-2009 | 07:51 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 361
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From: F-4 Wild Weasel
03-28-2010 | 11:33 AM
#4
New Hire
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Bimini Island Air is just out of bankruptcy and is trying to do things on a shoe string, and they do not really care who they hurt to do it. Allow me to explain.
They are desperate to hire FO's, but cannot find anyone that will take the job on their terms. They do not pay for training of any kind, including initial indoc training. If they cannot get paid for the time you fly, they do not pay you.
They have cut a deal with the FAA that if they put you through FO training with them; this includes about 60 hours of ground school and 10-15 hours of flight training, they can then send you to a $3700 course at AIMS College in Greeley, CO for simulator "training" and get you an SIC Only Type Certificate in a BE-1900. They want you to pay for the school, which, when all is said and done, will cost about $5000 if you include all the incidentals. Unfortunately, this is only half the story.
BIA will try to send you to the school without doing any of the prerequisite training on their end and hope you pass the class and AIMS signs off on the 8410 SIC Type Certificate under their Part 142 School authority. If you don't pass the course and do not get the 8410 sign off, they can't hire you and you are out the money and have nothing to show for it. Too bad, so sad is their way of looking at it.
BIA does not want to take the time, make the effort, nor spend the moeny to give you the in-house training,whch almost gaurantees you will not be able to pass the AIMS College course, unless you have already flown the BE-1900 somewhere else and have been through some other ground school. Keep in mind this only gets you an SIC-Only rating in the BE-1900. Sure, you can upgrade to a full type rating, but BIA will not pay for it, so you have to go through the $8500 Type Rating course at AIMS. I should probably mention that the costs I mention are if BIA has someone to send with you to AIMS to split the cost and you can train together, so they have to find two suckers, otherwise you can double the cost basically.
The above are the facts...In my humble opinion, BIA is trying to do an end around the FAA and put a body in the right seat, regardless of qualifications. They will not spend the time, effort and money to do it right; ground school and flight training with them first and then to AIMS College to polish you up and check your skills in a simulator to sign off on an SIC type rating. They just want to send you to school, hoping you pass, and then put you in the right seat with nothing further.
BIA is currently putting two Captains in their BE-1900 because they cannot find anone to fill the right seat FO position. Their Captains are getting burned out, as one would expect. They are getting desperate, but they are broke and don't have the money to get trained FO's the right way. I suspect that if the FAA investigated how they are doing their training, they would come unglued. Again, just my opinion.
Anyway, considereing the above, I have no intention of working for an organiztion that: 1) Is so financially strapped, they cannot afford to train new personnel properly; 2) Is willing to circumvent the FAA program rules they have agreed to; 3) Is willing to risk my hard-earned money on a hope and a prayer because it is no sweat on their brow; 4) Basically lies and misleads job seekers in a con, based on the desperation of commercial pilot wannabe's in a job market that, quite frankly, sucks!
You have full benefit of my experience with them, as well as my interpretation of the events which may be worth exactly what you pay for it. As they say, "Information is power." Best of luck to you all....
They are desperate to hire FO's, but cannot find anyone that will take the job on their terms. They do not pay for training of any kind, including initial indoc training. If they cannot get paid for the time you fly, they do not pay you.
They have cut a deal with the FAA that if they put you through FO training with them; this includes about 60 hours of ground school and 10-15 hours of flight training, they can then send you to a $3700 course at AIMS College in Greeley, CO for simulator "training" and get you an SIC Only Type Certificate in a BE-1900. They want you to pay for the school, which, when all is said and done, will cost about $5000 if you include all the incidentals. Unfortunately, this is only half the story.
BIA will try to send you to the school without doing any of the prerequisite training on their end and hope you pass the class and AIMS signs off on the 8410 SIC Type Certificate under their Part 142 School authority. If you don't pass the course and do not get the 8410 sign off, they can't hire you and you are out the money and have nothing to show for it. Too bad, so sad is their way of looking at it.
BIA does not want to take the time, make the effort, nor spend the moeny to give you the in-house training,whch almost gaurantees you will not be able to pass the AIMS College course, unless you have already flown the BE-1900 somewhere else and have been through some other ground school. Keep in mind this only gets you an SIC-Only rating in the BE-1900. Sure, you can upgrade to a full type rating, but BIA will not pay for it, so you have to go through the $8500 Type Rating course at AIMS. I should probably mention that the costs I mention are if BIA has someone to send with you to AIMS to split the cost and you can train together, so they have to find two suckers, otherwise you can double the cost basically.
The above are the facts...In my humble opinion, BIA is trying to do an end around the FAA and put a body in the right seat, regardless of qualifications. They will not spend the time, effort and money to do it right; ground school and flight training with them first and then to AIMS College to polish you up and check your skills in a simulator to sign off on an SIC type rating. They just want to send you to school, hoping you pass, and then put you in the right seat with nothing further.
BIA is currently putting two Captains in their BE-1900 because they cannot find anone to fill the right seat FO position. Their Captains are getting burned out, as one would expect. They are getting desperate, but they are broke and don't have the money to get trained FO's the right way. I suspect that if the FAA investigated how they are doing their training, they would come unglued. Again, just my opinion.
Anyway, considereing the above, I have no intention of working for an organiztion that: 1) Is so financially strapped, they cannot afford to train new personnel properly; 2) Is willing to circumvent the FAA program rules they have agreed to; 3) Is willing to risk my hard-earned money on a hope and a prayer because it is no sweat on their brow; 4) Basically lies and misleads job seekers in a con, based on the desperation of commercial pilot wannabe's in a job market that, quite frankly, sucks!
You have full benefit of my experience with them, as well as my interpretation of the events which may be worth exactly what you pay for it. As they say, "Information is power." Best of luck to you all....
03-29-2010 | 05:03 AM
#6
Line Holder
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Gene,
If you don't mind sharing, what exactly is your experience with BIA?
- Know someone who works for them?
- You applied and they told you that is how their training works?
- You worked for them?
- Something else?
Thanks
If you don't mind sharing, what exactly is your experience with BIA?
- Know someone who works for them?
- You applied and they told you that is how their training works?
- You worked for them?
- Something else?
Thanks
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